1. Who should judge the judges? Discuss the benefits of merit selection of judges and also elections? What role should special interest play in selecting judges? Which system is best? How does Republican v. White (2002) as discussed in your textbook impact the system of selecting judges? 2. Why might judicial sentencing guidelines be viewed as an infringement of the legislative branch on the powers of the judiciary? How are divorce cases and divorce law different from most other civil cases? 3. The death penalty debate usually brings about three main issues – morality, deterrence, and fairness – which provides the best argument for abolishing the death penalty? Which one is the most persuasive for keeping the death penalty? Do you think the issue of innocents on death row justifies a moratorium on the death penalty? 4. Define the following and give an example: 1. Plea bargaining 2. Sentencing guidelines 3. Sentencing discrimination 4. Miranda Rights 5. Grand Juries 5. Define a mass tort claim and discuss how such cases differ from ordinary tort litigation. 6. Is the United States suffering from a litigation explosion? Explain your answer. 7. Compare and contrast the view that Americans are “too quick to sue” with the view that everyone deserves “equal access to the civil legal system.” 8. What is Alternative Dispute Resolution? How is it similar or different from traditional court based litigation? 9. What are the seven steps of a Civil Case Proceeding? List and define. 10. In a civil case, discuss the - concept of burden of proof and the use of evidence in proving the case. - What types of evidence can be used? 11. Define the following: · 1.Voir - Dire · 2.Challenge for cause · 3.Peremptory challenge · 4.Ripeness and · 5.Mootness 12. Are concerns about the impact of pretrial publicity warranted in most cases? Examine efforts to limit prejudicial pretrial publicity in this era of the 24/7 new cycle. 13. Describe what is meant by the term “jury nullification” and offer an explanation for why jurors might want to engage in such behavior. 14. What are the primary differences between trial and appellate courts? 15. What is meant by habeas corpus relief? Explain the history of habeas corpus in the United States and relate it the current situation of enemy combatants being held by the U.S. government in Cuba. 16. What are two important factors in understanding how appellate court judges make their decisions? 17. Why is Roe v. Wade (1973) a useful decision for considering the scope of the Supreme Court’s political power? 18. What are two reasons why a Supreme Court justice might be reluctant to vote to consider a case? 19. Explain the rule of four and why it is important in considering which cases the Supreme Court places on its docket. 20. Describe the Supreme Court’s workload. ...

1. 1. Who should judge the judges? Discuss the benefits of merit
selection of judges and also elections? What role should special
interest play in selecting judges? Which system is best? How
does Republican v. White (2002) as discussed in your textbook
impact the system of selecting judges?
2. Why might judicial sentencing guidelines be viewed as an
infringement of the legislative branch on the powers of the
judiciary? How are divorce cases and divorce law different from
most other civil cases?
3. The death penalty debate usually brings about three main
issues – morality, deterrence, and fairness – which provides
the best argument for abolishing the death penalty? Which one
is the most persuasive for keeping the death penalty? Do you
think the issue of innocents on death row justifies a moratorium
on the death penalty?
4. Define the following and give an example:
1. Plea bargaining
2. Sentencing guidelines
3. Sentencing discrimination
4. Miranda Rights
5. Grand Juries
5. Define a mass tort claim and discuss how such cases differ
from ordinary tort litigation.
6. Is the United States suffering from a litigation explosion?
Explain your answer.
7. Compare and contrast the view that Americans are “too
quick to sue” with the view that everyone deserves “equal
access to the civil legal system.”

2. 8. What is Alternative Dispute Resolution? How is it similar or
different from traditional court based litigation?
9. What are the seven steps of a Civil Case Proceeding?
List and define.
10. In a civil case, discuss the - concept of burden of proof
and the use of evidence in proving the case. - What types of
evidence can be used?
11. Define the following:
· 1.Voir - Dire
· 2.Challenge for cause
· 3.Peremptory challenge
· 4.Ripeness and
· 5.Mootness
12. Are concerns about the impact of pretrial publicity
warranted in most cases? Examine efforts to limit prejudicial
pretrial publicity in this era of the 24/7 new cycle.
13. Describe what is meant by the term “jury nullification” and
offer an explanation for why jurors might want to engage in
such behavior.
14. What are the primary differences between trial and appellate
courts?
15. What is meant by habeas corpus relief? Explain the history
of habeas corpus in the United States and relate it the current
situation of enemy combatants being held by the U.S.
government in Cuba.
16. What are two important factors in understanding how
appellate court judges make their decisions?
17. Why is Roe v. Wade (1973) a useful decision for
considering the scope of the Supreme Court’s political power?

3. 18. What are two reasons why a Supreme Court justice might be
reluctant to vote to consider a case?
19. Explain the rule of four and why it is important in
considering which cases the Supreme Court places on its docket.
20. Describe the Supreme Court’s workload.